Eugene Springfield HEARTsafe donates automated defibrillator device to community center

BLUE RIVER, Ore. – The Upper McKenzie Community Center is the recipient of an automated external defibrillator thanks to a donation from Eugene Springfield HEARTsafe that will benefit residents in this riverside community roughly an hour east of Eugene/Springfield.

Eugene Springfield HEARTsafe donated the device during a brief ceremony with members of the community center, the Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Protection District and local media under bright blue skies on May 17.

The AED device will be located in the community center, 54745 McKenzie River Drive in Blue River, not far off Highway 126, the main transportation corridor through the area. The center serves as a hub for many in the community as well as a rallying point during storms, forest fires or similar crises.

“This AED can mean the difference between life and death for someone experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest in our rural community,” said Liz Muzzey, the Activities Director at the Upper McKenzie Community Center and also the Health Services Coordinator at the McKenzie River Community School.

The Eugene Springfield HEARTsafe Community group selected the community center after assessing areas within Lane County most in need of a defibrillator as well as their ability to maintain the device.

“Their access to emergency medical supplies is limited and their travel to the nearest hospital is lengthier than other areas in our county,” said Megan of the Eugene Springfield HEARTsafe program. “Early defibrillation in sudden cardiac arrest is shown to improve survival if delivered in the first five minutes, and community access to a public automated external defibrillator can increase rural survival equity.”

Eugene Springfield HEARTsafe purchased the defibrillator with funds from a $5,000 grant from the PulsePoint Foundation -- a public non-profit 501(c)(3) -- following its win of the 2023 national PulsePoint AED Contest.

Nationally, the survival rate of cardiac arrest is approximately nine percent, and the chance of survival decreases by 10 percent for every minute that goes by without chest compressions (CPR), making AEDs an important step in the chain of survival.

Eugene Springfield HEARTsafe is a partner organization of Eugene Springfield Fire and PeaceHealth.

About Eugene Springfield HEARTsafe: Eugene Springfield HEARTsafe is committed to making the Eugene-Springfield community a HEARTsafe Community. We are focused on increasing cardiac arrest survival rates through awareness, education, and partnering with organizations that further this mission. For questions email, HEARTsafe@peacehealth.org

About PeaceHealth: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a non-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, more than 3,000 providers, more than 160 clinics and 9 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Visit us online at peacehealth.org.

About the PulsePoint Foundation: PulsePoint is a public 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation that builds applications for use by public safety agencies to increase community awareness during critical events. The PulsePoint Respond mobile app notifies trained individuals of the nearby need for CPR and the PulsePoint AED registry identifies AED (automated external defibrillator) locations for use by the public and 9-1-1 telecommunicators during emergency call taking. PulsePoint also provides specialized mobile apps for professional responders. Learn more at pulsepoint.org. The free app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.